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"Midnight, you haven't been outside in a few weeks. I called up your friends." Samuel spoke, arms crossed over his chest. He was unhappy with the way I'd been since our troubled time 'camping.'
Who would believe we'd been whisked away to Neverland? I scowl at him, sitting upright on the black and white checkered sofa of the place we lived in.
"I don't tell you how to live your life." I state with clenched teeth.
Samuel snorted, taking a seat beside me. He shook his head, turning to me. "It's my job to tell you how to live your life so when your friends get here go do something with them. School is returning soon."
I blow a raspberry. "I'm so done with authority figures." I went to move off the couch when Samuel stopped me. My eyes met him in question.
"My father is coming over. He insists on meeting my step-daughter. Be on your best behavior when you return from your friends. Got it?" Samuel softly voice like he yearned to tell me more. He didn't.
"Whatever you say, daddy dearest." I sarcastically remark, disappearing from view. I go to change into a pair of ripped black jeans, a loose fitted matching shirt showing nothing off. I barely glimpse my odd hair, starting for the door when I get a text.
Veronica is in her vehicle, parked outside. She waves upon seeing me.
I perk up, happy it's only her. I buckle up, once climbing in. "Where are the others?"
"Betty is trying to convince Jughead to come to the movies with us. Archie is buying the tickets, getting the seats, and the snacks. We'll meet him there." Veronica smiled, winking at me.
We were zooming down the highway with the cool night breeze in the sky. There were no off feelings in the air, placing me in a good mood.
I smile one of genuine in awhile. I never wanted this good feeling to leave me to one of a disturbed mind. My grin widens upon seeing the old-fashioned movie theater my best friend found a few months ago. It was like the one we used to have only it wasn't a drive-in theater.
"I'm thinking of changing my name." I voice. Of course, I'm seriously thinking about it.
"To what? Midnight Lodge?" Veronica began to unbuckle once she'd parked.
"Mustang. Hey!" I swat playfully at my half sister, "I'm not taking that last name."
Veronica laughed, "I'm kidding you."
I join her laughter when the talented Archie joins us.
Archie gives Veronica a peck on the lips.
I'm scanning the area, pouting at not seeing Bughead anywhere. My heart picks up when my eyes catch a hot guy staring at me. I was reminded of someone yet it was impossible.
"That hot blonde guy is staring over here." I make a mental note aloud of my newfound eye candy.
Archie scoffs.
Veronica nudges me in the ribs, "then go speak to him. From what I hear, you like older guys."
I go from lusting after the stranger to glaring at my sister. "V, what the hell? He told you."
"Actually, our girl did." Veronica wore an uneasy grin. She turned serious at realizing how upset she just caused me to be.
"You think I was staying indoors with no shame eating at me? I didn't need the guilt from my friends who are supposed to have my back. I apologized, bought him a new beanie, and even tried avoiding his father." I blurted in a rush of an explanation.
Archie sighs, sticking his hands into the pockets of his letterman jacket.
"Yes! And, he has halfway forgiven you!" The raspy voice of Jughead came from behind me. His dark blue eyes smiling upon seeing me.
Betty was sporting a blissful grin. "Good. Now can we see this movie?"
I got scared the first half of the film, causing me to leave the theater. I scurried as far from the damn theater as I could get, leaning on the wall for fresh air.
"Scared?" The voice of the attractive male from earlier frightened me a bit. His blue green eyes, carefully watching me. He had a cigarette half in his mouth. "I'm Oliver."
"Sin." I simply reply, not looking for the night to get heated. "You remind me of someone."
"James Dean?" Oliver joked, half smiling. He flicked his cigarette to the ground, stomping it out. He wore boots.
Nice. I loved those on guys. "No, somebody else." I chuckle. I didn't expect to learn he had rock solid abs underneath his white flannel shirt. That night was a game changer in more ways than one.
"I'm supposed to meet my brother tonight." Oliver informed me in a low whisper after we'd done what was started in his truck. His eyes met mine once I'd shut the truck door.
"Yeah, good luck with that." I wrestle to catch my breath, grinning to myself as he drives off. I return to my friends with messy, tangled hair, keeping my mood higher than it's ever been.
"What's got you in smiles?" Jughead asks me, taking a bite of red liquorice I'd tossed at him during the last half of the film.
"I'll tell you about it one day." I chirp, taking some popcorn for my taste buds. I'm still pretty spooked by the loud noises, and undead animals crossing the screen. "This is a good movie."
"I know." Jughead whispers to me, smirking as Betty wonders what we're discussing.
"I've seen you jumping, Sin." Archie snickers, causing our blonde friend relief.
How could she think I'd see Jughead as more than family? I know what secret he revealed yet it's absurd to dwell on.
"Y'all aren't coming with?" I ask Jughead, Archie, and Betty as Veronica offers to drive us home once the movie finished.
"We're attempting to let you two actually bond." Betty remarks, shooting us an innocent smile.
Archie hooked a thumb at the road, "I'm jogging to keep up the good looks."
"And, I am still getting Bolt used to the world after so many decades." Jughead snorted, showing his pearly white teeth.
I nod, releasing a sad sigh. My friends were still being evasive around me. I'm bursting with happiness as I walk into the house once Veronica drops me off. She seemed oddly silence on the drive home.
"Sam!" I call, softly shutting the door. I begin a happy trek to find him until my eyes land on him drinking with another familiar figure. Now, I knew why the stranger at the theater looked familiar.
Samuel smiled brightly, motioning to Oliver. "This is my father-"
"Correction, big brother. I just looked after him when ours died in a wreck. I'm Oliver." The older blonde chimed in, cutting his brother off while extending a hand to me. He's playing it off like nothing happened.
"Midnight." I speak, withholding any smart remarks. I look to Samuel, "I have to get to bed. I think I ate or drank something bad. See you tomorrow."
Samuel spit some of his drink back into it's glass, carefully analyzing me. "Yeah, okay…" he seemed to recognize something was wrong yet why would I tell him what I did with his brother?
The thought made me sick to my stomach.
···
Can you guess what movie they're watching? If so, I'll give you a shoutout. :)